TEETH A Novella by Lisa Sinclair I The hours seemed to drag tonight, he mused as he walked numbly but deliberately along the city streets. Most nights, the time flew by quickly on dark wings of some swift and avenging nocturnal predator. A fitting analagy, he noted, comparing speed to something akin to himself and his kind. But this evening was different. The city, its inhabitants, and indeed the very buildings and trees seemed to be locked in a sort of suspended animation as if captured in a photograph. Nothing moved for miles. Still, he trudged on. He could sense no sign of life and wondered if his usually keen senses had lost their edge. Worse, yet, were they right? He was hungry. And desperate. Unlike most of his kind, he was blessed (or perhaps cursed) with the ability to transform himself into other beings both human and animal with ease. He could pass for an attractive man, or even transform himself into a very convincing facsimile of a dog or a cat in order to properly get nourishment. in addition to this, he could become invisible. Big deal, he thought, what good did all those things do you if no one accepts you? He drew his cloak around him. Not that he really needed a cloak, with his shapeshifting ablilities he was able to withstand cold, heat, and any other conditions thrown in his direction by the forces of nature. What he could not tolerate, however, was the separation and ostracision of the other vampires. Since his entrance into the realm of the undead, it had been decided by the high council that he be given the ability to shapeshift. But he often wondered why he was counted among those favored few who posessed this strange and coveted trait. He kept his questions to himself, though. For the ways of the Council were never to be doubted or questioned in any way, and he had been chosen. So he accepted that gift along with his immortality and used it. The Council, of course were adamant in the adherence to the ancient traditions and strict rules of transfiguration. Only certain forms of animal other than human were allowed. For one thing, he could only assume the shape of a predatory mammal, very rarely a reptile and never a bird or a fish. In addition to that, the animal must always bear large teeth, long canines which were meant to rip and tear the flesh of victims, rather than simply making neat little inconspicuous holes in the necks of the unfortunate prey. Once, long ago, on a journey in the jungles of Central America, he had brought the natives' legends of the fabled chupracabra or "goat sucker" into terrifying reality. True, it enabled him to snare prey more easily than he had ever known, and yes, it did give him the advantage of human superstitions and irrational fears, but in the end he was sorry. Word of his transgression reached the High Council. He was therefore summoned to stand trial before them for breaking the ancient laws concerning shapeshifting. He was sure he had done nothing wrong ore out of the ordinary, however, the Council strongly disagreed. "Our laws and rules clearly state that no shapeshifter must ever assume the form of anything fabricated in the minds of humans. The goat sucker is every bit a fantasy figure as the dragon, mermaid, or any other thing of legends and fairy tales." They expounded on that taboo, saying that fantasy creatures brought into this world would draw much unwanted attention and make humans aware of a once invisible threat. Realistic animals, dangerous as they may be, were more or less commonplace. But real animals such as a bear or a wolf could draw a considerable amount of attention, especially when a series of attacks sharpened peoples' interest as well as fear. Several years back, he had stalked the areas of northern California in the form of a mountain lion, making his way into populated areas, attacking and killing many people. When the park rangers as well as the police and the media took special notice of these mysterious mountain lion attacks, he knew he needed to disappear soon and find new hunting territory. For he, himself was in danger of being caught. His punishment: ostracism from all his peers, even his beloved mentor and maker. He would know now what it was like to be truly alone. Before he was made, he had read wher some primitive peoples of various world cultures would banish a member of a tribe if he or she had broken a taboo That person would be considered dead by family, friends, and all who knew him or her. Loneliness would soon sap all will to live from the banished ones's heart and mind and suicide by autosuggestion would occur. That would not happen in his case, he told himself repeatedly. His will to live was far too strong. Besides this, he had concluded in his own mind that the ugly green of jealousy had colored the decision of those who bore witness against him at the trial. No one, not even the High Council had the right to limit his darkness given talent. he would prove the victor, despite his circumstances. But first, he must satisfy his hunger. Tonight, though, that would prove a somewhat difficult task. It seemed his usual victims were scarce. Perhaps it was time to try a new approach, maybe even a new source of food. He sniffed the air. He listened for signs of life. His reflective eyes pierced through the fog, trying to see anything new. His empty veins burned. He continued on his way. On this particular night, he hunted in the guise of a man. It had not been the first time, and more often than not, he had been successful. In his human persona he exibited an intense, hypnotic charisma combined with raw sex appeal which drew his victims to him with little or no effort at all. As well, this was the easiest way to pass through cities and towns inconspicuously. He also had the option of going place to place unseen via his invisibility method. But he rarely used that. It was an exhausting process which left him little strength to hunt and feed. As for animals, he saved those forms for roaming the rural and more sparsely populated areas. Then, on the cool pre-dawn breeze, he sensed it. Prey. Off in the distance, he could hear a woman's voice. Another voice answered it. Two women. Hmm. Now, things would start happening for him. If he thought at least one of them beautiful, he'd re-make her into a creature like himself. If he found both of them attractive, all the better. Yet he could never pass on the gift of shapeshifting. That talent was bestowed upon him alone. But at least, he'd assured himself a companion in the long dark years of immortality. He would not be lonely. And she would live forever at his side looking upon him as maker, hero, champion and lover. Moreover, she would know nothing of how he came to be shamed and excluded. She would know what he needed her to know and that was it, he told himself. He started off in the direction of the two female voices.
"Well, it was necessary" the first spoke emphatically, "An example had to be made and we-" Her voice trailed off at the sound of muffled footsteps. What was she talking about? No matter. He was ready to satisfy himself and mere words should never distract him. He approached. Both women turned. The woman who spoke was of medium height with long wavy dark brown hair. Her posture was straight and she didn't seem to be the type that would startle easily. In fact, her demeanor was calm, assertive, and full of practical purpose. Her dark blue eyes met his pale ones. She didn't greet him or was even the least bit surprised that he was there. It was as if she were expecting him to come to her at this particular place at this particular time. Her companion was a different, however and at the sight of the stranger she gasped and gave a sharp little cry. She was a petite little thing with strawberry blonde hair which had been cut and teased into a sort of faux windblown look which suited her pointed little chin and big, weepy wet green eyes. She was not only startled, but visibly frightened. She reminded him of a nervous bird ready for flight at a moment's notice. She was right to feel some measure of awe. Here was a man of rather ordinary appearance, yet beneath the surface the intense magnetism was about to emerge like a serpent uncoiling itself from a tree. Already there was tension in the air. His human persona was handsome, but not in the polished, Hollywood leading man sort. There was a starkness and ferocity about him, not to mention the slightly shabby clothes he wore. His face was angular and pale and his eyes were a soft mist gray which could harden into steel, charcoal, or even black when provoked to attack. For now, they remained soft and misty reflecting light much the way cat's eyes do. The hair was dark and hung about his head and shoulders wildly as if it had never been touched by brush or comb, and he strode towards them the way a wolf does when encountering its next meal. His hands were large and bony with long fingernails, which more acurately resembled claws or talons than human fingernails,despite the flesh covering those hands was clean, white, and deceptively silky- soft. Yes, even as a man, much of him remained a beast. The brunette smiled when he reached them. She seemed inexplicably pleased to see him and he wondered if they had ever met. He couldn't help noticing just how attractive she was with her tall slim form and luxurious hair. She might make a fit companion for him after all. His hands slackened around the edges of his cloak
II Deep in the mountains, in an almost forgotten part of the world, the Council had assembled itself. At a massive table in the great hall of the castle twelve figures discussed at length, the transgressions and broken rule of the animal shapeshifter among their kind. He seemed to learn nothing from his punishments. Banishment only made him penitent for short while. His will to live was kept afire by pure defiance.What could be done about this? They were stymied for a solution. But certainly not at a loss for words. "He's gotten just what he deserved!" snapped a tall black haired woman seated along the left hand side of the table. Her long nails drummed noisily on the dark wood. "It is just what the Council ought to have done in the first place." "Has he?" drawled a voice next to her, "Or are you simply jealous because you weren't chosen for such an honor" The speaker turned his angular features toward the dark beauty. She did not flinch, but looked past him to adress the head of the Council
"You yourself know what he did was against everything our kind adheres to! He brought this on himself for abusing his power!" Her dark eyes flashed in her austere, beautiful face." Why not send someone to take care of this law breaker once and for all!"
"Perhaps", began a wheezy voice further down the table, " It is because he is... or, rather was, young when he was made. Youth does tend to be irresponsible with powers."
"That has no bearing whatsoever!" intoned a deep voiced figure whose hand bore a rather ornate ruby ring,"Young or old, those who have lived millenia or centuries, all must obey the laws set down for us by the Council"
"Oh, really!" snarled a young, slim female dressed in black leather. She brushed aside a whisp of honey blonde hair from her left eye." And just what makes you so quick to judge? I mean, after all we're all trying to go our own way and get what we can. Who said anything about rules, anyway?!"
"And are you on his side?" drawled the man next to the dark woman. He set his small ice blue eyes upon her. His gaze was steady and chilling.
"And what if I am!" she snorted defiantly, " You all are so damned high and mighty! We were never meant to follow rules! Those are for the mortals not us!!" "They follow rules" the deep voiced bearer of the ring went on in his deep, sonorous voice, "So must we. A lion must learn the habits and behavior of wildebeests and buffalo, so must we. We need to be as cautious and clever as the humans are, and more. We can't risk scaring them off or exposing ourselves. That would be disastrous." He rose from his place at the head of the table and raised a big, bony hand. From his black velvet robe, he seemed to produce as if by magic trick, a long scepter, at whose end was a solid gold skull adorned with rubies and sapphires. He banged it three times on the table, and the Council fell into respectful silence. The twelve members of the Council all looked
up simultaneously into his skull like face peering out of a purple lined black hood. They waited. "For centuries, we have abided by the laws set down for us by our ancestors, and in that time few rules have been broken. Those who have been so foolish or arrogant, have suffered the consequences. That has always been part of our plan. The shapeshifter must take his punishment and be made an example. What he did was unacceptable. And thus, I've sent the appropriate one to execute the correct punishment" There was some scattered applause at the table and a triumphant expression on the statuesque face of the beautiful dark woman. The serpentine man with the ice blue eyes and sarcastic drawl simply tented his long hands together and stared at his own skeletal fingers. The wheezy voiced man coughed noisily into a silk handkerchief. The blonde simply stared at the Council Leader with undisguised hatred. Once again, the butt of the scepter was struck three times staccato fashion on the dark table. The bony, ruby ringed hand commanded silence. Again he spoke:
" I wish to call the maker of the shapeshifter to account" he said as a pained look crossed his face momentarily. To everyone's surprise, up rose a tall, statuesque figure in crimson velvet. The beautiful black haired woman strode purposfully to the end of the table. But now, all smugness had vanished from her face. She too, looked pained and hideously ashamed of what she had created. She turned to face the others. She glanced around. After what seemed an eternity, she began. "When he was first created, I had no idea he would be so rebellious. Perhaps I was the one at fault for putting the idea of shapeshifting into his head. But in my own way, I sensed he had potential to be unique, and skillful as one of our kind, and I also knew that animals posessed certain attributes which humans did not. I wanted him to have these attributes. So I petitioned the High Council to bestow these gifts upon him. And I was proud of him. I was as proud of him as a mother is of a son or a wife is of her husband. And yes, .." she addressed the serpentine man . "I was jealous!. Hot tears welled in her eyes. " I wanted to be those animals in every way! But I knew I was not destined or chosen for shapeshifting. So the next best choice was to see someone close to me given those gifts, and so I lived, to use the term loosely, vicariously through my latest creation. The young man had been wounded by a wild animal in the woods by his home and taken to the nearest hospital. But I was there, unknown to the mortal doctors and nurses in the hospital. So I saw the opportunity and I took full advantage. The young man lived, but not in the normal way they all had expected. He developed animalistic tendancies, and more tests were done. A few doctors had even suggested that he had contracted rabies. But I knew otherwise. He was becoming what I had always wanted to be. The first night I glimpsed him in his mountain lion form I was moved to tears. It was magnificent." Her voice broke slightly and she stopped to wipe her eyes with a handkerchief.
At this, the blonde girl rose up and cried " So you don't exactly have the moral high ground to--" "Silence!" the robed leader roared. "I must have order. She will be allowed to speak"
" As time passed,:" she continued, " He began asking questions about his abilities. Once he had studied every animal he was allowed to emulate, he began to experiment with ones of mythical nature, such as that cursed goat sucker from Central America! I was never more humiliated. Drawing attention to mythical creatures such as this one would no doubt inspire suspicion in the humans' belief that we too, exist and are every bit as real as they are. Most of our societal camoflage has come from the fact that mortals see us as little more than legends, the stuff of their horror genre of film and literature. We have hidden behind that lie for centuries. If they do not believe, then they are not aware of us and thus are easy prey for us. Awareness of us is in itself a defence against us. Because of my own vanity, I assumed that my creation would obey me and the rules that I've followed. He did not. I hadn't taken into account the notion of free will or individual pursuits. So he was punished by ostracision. No one would have anything to do with him after that. But he survived. And I wished he hadn't. I regretted the moment I had ever laid eyes on him. I wanted him punished, but I did not know how. Very much like a parent who is forever marred by the offspring's misdeeds, I was only too glad to be separated from him permanently. For years, I have denied ever knowing him. I hid in a palace in the northern mountains hoping every once in a while to hear the news of his death. Yet I never heard anything about him being alive either." she paused, "until just a short while ago.'' "Ah, yes, " the leader's white face stared pensively down at the ruby ring on his bony finger, " That was when the reports about the mountain lion attack were all over the humans' media." "That is correct" she nodded. " I knew his signature animal and killing style to be that of the North American mountain lion, or puma. I managed to travel halfway around the world and there he was. Very shortly after that, he started assuming a human disguise. That was a wise move on his part. For the mountain lion was begininng to bring much unwanted attention. The last few nights, I have followed his every step. And now I can see that your method of punishment is appropriate. Do what you need to do." She nodded respectfully and he motioned for her to be seated. The collective stare shifted from her downcast face back to that of the stern leader. Then their thoughts turned slowly to the shapeshifter and his whereabouts. They knew his time was drawing to an end.
III
Back on his own familiar territory, the transgressor regarded his intended victims, unaware of the others' judgement and inevitable punishment. He continued to walk toward the two women his lips drawn back in a feral grin. She said nothing but continued to stare back at him as if to say "Here I am I'm all yours". He stopped. Then some shade of recognition passed over his face. Then, he stopped and a jolt of fear passed through him as he saw his intended victim. Something was wrong. But what was it? It was as if an alarm had gone off warning him of impending danger. She, however remained rooted to her spot as he took a hesitant step in her direction. One thought burned in his mind at that moment. Never allow fear or any other emotion to distract you! The powerful must always remain in control. Never forget that you and your kind are the supreme rulers. He did not see what came next. In one flash, a swift, snarling, clawing form was upon him, tossing him to the ground like a rag doll. He looked directly up into the yellow eyes of a raging mountain lion. But how...? He was then aware of searing, slicing pain as the animal's claws tore through him. In his weakened state, he then saw the face of the beast change slowly into that of the strawberry blonde. How ironic, he mused, drawing his last breath, that he be defeated by another shapeshifter like himself. How strange that someone like that should find him tonight of all nights. His captor once again morphed easily into her animal form and with her canine teeth grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and severed his spine. Above them, the sky became pale as the stars winked out. Soon day would be here and they would need to leave quickly. The transgressor's body could not be disposed of just yet, they would need to bring it back for confirmation to the Council that everything had gone as planned and that everything had run according to plan.
The brownhaired woman bent over the body just as the sun rose and drew out a silver knife. With grim efficiency, she plunged it deep into the chest of the errant shapeshifter and pierced his heart. The other woman joined her in human form and they spoke quickly about returning to the mountains to notify the Council that their task had been done.
The next moment the women noticed a dark shape approach them from behind. Then two shapes. The first one was tall and powerful and moved in his black and purple robes with great strides. The other stood just as tall in red velvet, but her gait was much more sinuous. The gold scepter the black robed figure carried glinted in the early sunlight. The ruby on his big, powerful hand shone through the mist like a freshly opened wound. The face of the figure in red was downcast and hidden beneath abundant black hair. The strangers approached the two women.
"Well done" proclaimed the leader as he walked along the length of the transgressor's broken body, inspecting it as if it were a freshly tidied room or finished work of art. "I must admit, you were the right one for this assignment." He turned his skeletal face in the direction of the strawberry blonde."It makes sense that you did the ultimate honors, my dear" His large mouth grinned, displaying rows of large, pristine white dagger like teeth. He regarded the body again. "This is what comes of disobedience. An example has been made" He went back to the statuesque figure in red velvet and whispered something in her ear. When she made no move to approach the body, he took her by the arm and led her down to where the distorted remains of her creation lay. She did not cry, niether did she show any anger or remorse. Her chiseled white face wore a look of dead cold indifference. "We must burn the body" she spoke in a low voice, "but not here" It must be taken to the palace in the mountains and a pyre must be made and all of our kind must view it and learn from this man/beast's errant ways. Disobedience cannot be looked upon lightly." The leader raised his scepter and the two other women nodded in agreement.
The following night, as expected, many had gathered outside the palace grounds and kindling was piled high in preparation for the burning of the shapeshifter. As others of his kind watched, all who knew him mused over what he had done and reflected their own opinions of the matter. There were those who felt, as the Council had, that his punishment was just, while others truly sympathized with his plight and praised his radical, rule breaking ways as courageous and imaginative. Still, others were uncertain as to what they thought. But all who had been there could have sworn they had heard the snarl of a mountian lion as the last of the funeral fire burned down.
Submitted November 17, 2019 at 04:33PM by TheLisaCat https://ift.tt/2CNykZ0
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